Blood and Sacrifice
by AnubisLoki
Summary: This is the sequel to Chasing Demons in which Tony fights against SHIELD in court but what's happened to Loki to cause him to black out halfway through trial? What is it that everyone's hiding in Asgard? Can Bruce save Loki or will fate be cruel and step in between the two?
1. Chapter 1

(Loki)

I wish I could say that everything was easier when we returned to Earth but then I would be telling an obvious lie. But never the less Banner was always at my side helping me through this war that we were still fighting but things did get a bit better once I started using my heart and even though that it was broken as was the rest of myself as well as Banner we were managing to put the pieces back together and even though we were missing a few pieces and we were scratched and bruised we were still managing to get by. However Bruce still worked often leaving me here alone while he ran off to some university or some other place to talk about science and it was these moments that scared me the most.

Every passing car made me twitch, every large group of people made me coward, every little thing left me on-edge hoping that SHIELD or the rest of the Avengers were not on their way to take me away from Banner. But once I heard the soft opening and closing of the front door and hear Banner call out I would slunk back into the room until I saw that he was a lone or that he was even there at all. There's only been a couple of times when Bruce would come back and I was not there to great him, those times my demons had returned to strike me down but I always woke to Bruce's strong, comforting arms wrapped around me just as they were now as we sat on the couch. I leaned against Bruce's shoulder as his arm wrapped protectively around me.

"How are you doing?" he asked

"I am fine how about yourself?"

"I'm good."

I always found it cute when he tried to make small talk, I found a lot of things about Bruce cute. We heard the door open downstairs and could hear the sound of the busy poparazzie and jurnalists attacking Tony but they were drowned out when the door slamed close.

"Damn jurnalist they can't leave me alone." Tony went to the bar and poured a drink it was typical for him to drink the moment he walked into the room and by now me and Banner took no notice in it.

"Everyone's worried and confused is all Tony you can't blame them."

I knew what he was talking about. Apperantly word spread quickly that Tony and Bruce were hiding me and everyone wanted to know if they were brainwashed into it (stupid question to ask of course they'd say no), if they were tricked, or anything else the public could think to ask but they both admitted that Thor had taken me back to Asgard and that I was still in prison. To help with this story I changed my mortal form drastically. My long, raven, hair shortened and changed to a soft shade of brown, my emerald eyes turned to a calming blue, as for cloths I still choose to wear a simple suit but sometimes I went with a nice shirt and jeans, and I went by the name of Thomas William Hiddleston.

At first Bruce had a hard time remembering that "Tom" was just a made up person he wasn't real and that beneath the disguise was the same god he knew, but after some time he got used to seeing me as this person and I didn't mind the change it was like a new start I guess you could call it. I was starting fresh, a clean slate, and only Tony and Bruce knew the truth of Tom Hiddleston, but enough of that there was more important matters to discuss such as Tony's court case against SHIELD which would take place in just a few weeks.

"Are you sure you want to do this Tony?" Bruce asked

"Of course I'm sure they abandoned him and left him there to die I'm pretty sure the public's not going to like that even if it is Loki."  
"But that's the thing I don't think it matters what you show them everyone's still going to despise me for what I did. You could show them all the photos and recordings you want, even have the executioners from Asgard that took so much pleasure in tormenting me to admit to what they did and still no one in that room will believe it was wrong."

I leaned in closer to Banner I knew it just as much as they did that this was already a losing case after all everyone in New York hated me and I doubt that there's much that's going to change their minds about me.

"Banner you still have the photos of his previous injuries right?"  
"You mean before SHIELD took him the first time? Yeah I still have them."  
"And did your security cameras catch your conversations?"  
"Yeah I have the footage of everything that's happened since Loki first came."

Banner took out a black suitcase and inside was all the evidence that we were going to use for the case, there were videos from here, Tony's house here in New York as well as in the Bahama's, and we even got videos from the security camera that we in my cell from SHIELD. In a seperate file was all the pictures that Banner had taken of all the wounds I had acuired and each had a detailed doctors note of what the injury was, how bad, treatment, what caused it things like that. But there was another thing, everyone thought that I was in a cell in Asgard but I'm not.

"Yeah that is going to be a problem isn't it." Tony said pouring himself another drink.

"I could apperiate back to the cell so that when Thor goes to get me I'll be there just as he thinks."  
"No you can't go back there I wont let you." Bruce said

I was taken back by his words he really didn't want me to go back I knew that but this was the only way to get Thor and the others that would be at the courthouse to still believe that I had indeed been in Asgardian prison.

"Bruce he has to it's the only way to calm the public down knowing that he in fact was in prison and that could help our cause since most of his injuries occured while in prison." Tony said trying to convince Banner but it was clear that Bruce didn't like the idea at all.

"No I don't care I've been there Tony, just standing in the halls makes you want to break down, you can hear the screaming, smell the blood, feel all the pain I will not allow Loki to..." I placed my hand on his shoulder and he stopped short to look at me.  
"I'll be alright Bruce I promise you that I shall be fine I'll go a few days before the trial and that way when Thor comes for me I can make it seem as though I've been there all this time." his eyes shined "We will be alright I assure you."

"But what if we lose? They'll drag you back there and Tony only had one replica of the Tesseract so I couldn't come get you. Also even if we did win I'm sure Odin wouldn't care he'd still expect you to be thrown back into that cell."  
"That is where Thor comes in. Thor is an oaf and a big softy I'm pretty sure that by the end of this case whether we win or lose I'm sure he will try and free me from that prison."

I knew that Thor would be the easiest to fool no matter how tough he tried to sound I knew that he had to big of a heart and with the evidence that Tony was going to use I knew that it would be only a matter of time before we broke Thor and soon it wouldn't even have to matter if we won or not I'd be free of that blasted cell and probably be sent here anyways to finish punishment for whatever crime I've commited this time. We talked some more about the trial before locking up the evidence and after one last drink Tony finally left and I was alone with Bruce just as it should be. We were alone, it was quiet, no one was going to disturb us, we had the whole place to ourselves and that was how I wanted it.

I leaned into Bruce more and he wrapped his arm tighter around me.

"It's so quite now without Tony." he said

"Yeah I prefer it this way, I like this type of silence."  
"Yeah this silence is good."

He kissed the top of my head again and my heart went racing as it always did when he kissed me, he was always so careful and caring.

"What if we don't win and Thor doesn't set you free?"

I sat up straight at the slightest hint of fear in his voice, I didn't like it when he was scared or when he showed that he was afraid.

"Then I'll escape and come to you, no one's going to seperate us ever again I promise I'll always be here."  
"Then why are you leaving to go back there?" I really didn't want to talk about the court case it was a subject that I'd rather wish never to happen at all "Loki I'm scared of losing you again. I've came to close to losing you forever and I don't..."

This time I kissed him and as he closed his eyes he returned the kiss deepening it. I didn't want him to think so negativily about what had happened, now was different, now I didn't want him to be afraid, didn't want him to hurt because it gets worse the more you give into them. That's how the voices start and slowly they turn into demons that destroy you at every chance they can get. As we pulled away I placed my hand on the side of his face and leaned my forehead against his.

"Please Bruce I do not wish to talk about this any more it hurts to think of all that could go wrong but I promise that everything will be fine in the end."  
"I know but still..."  
"Please Bruce I'd rather spend these next few days alone with you, no distractions, no visitors, just you and me can you grant me this favor?"

His eyes sparkled brightly as he smiled.

"Yes Loki I can grant you that promise." He kissed me again and I knew that everything would be just fine. It had to be even if Thor couldn't convince Odin to set me free or to allow me to continue punishment on Earth somehow I would find a way to escape and I would come back to Banner. With my new disguise as I now had a better chance of escaping Thor from dragging me back. I just hoped that the photos and videos were enough to convince not only those in the stands but most importantly Thor, if our plan was to work out then we would have to work extra hard to convince him that what SHIELD did to me was barbaric as well as what the executioners...

"That's it!"

"What is?" Bruce asked shocked by my outburst

"The guards from Asgard. They took great pleasure in my torment surly they would love to tell everyone what they did to me. I'm sure they'd take great pride in scaring everyone about their ideas of torment."  
"How would you convince them?"  
"I wouldn't be convincing them I will simply ask Odin to send them as well for if this is to be a true court case then we should have as many witnesses as we can correct? Even Odin understands some of the basic court laws of you mortals I'm sure he'd allow for them to come and gloat about their success in breaking me."  
"Are you sure that's a good idea though?"  
No I wasn't sure, I wasn't sure that I even wanted them to be there but if they were then they could agree to the many injuries that I suffered and I knew very well that they'd love to tell everyone about their unique forms of torment and how they suceeded in destroying the young prince.  
"They have to come one way or another they could possible be our best chance of winning this."

I knew this wasn't going to end well if they did come to Earth to testify, they would most likely over exaggerate everything but that was what I wanted right? I needed them to do this, I needed them to help me save myself just without telling them, I just wish that we could do it without me having to put my life in the hands of those that tried to take it away from me. I felt Banner place his hand on my shoulder and as I looked up at him he pulled me in close and as his arms held onto me tightly a sense of warmth and comfort shot through me and I began to feel better at the familiar feeling.

"We'll talk about this latter ok?" he looked outside and noticed the sun was setting, we walked out onto the porch and over the railing we watched the sun begin to sink below the harbor as the sky began to darken. Again I felt Bruce's arm wrap around me as we watched the sky in front of us.

_Well if it isn't Loki_

_Our favorite toy_

_Come crawling back to us have you?_

Couldn't they just leave me alone for one night

_Now why would we do that_

_Oh yes it's to much fun to torture you_

_We've almost forgotten how you scream_

_Or the smell of your blood staining the cell_

Please just leave me alone. I knew that they wouldn't and soon the room faded into the winter iceland of Jotunheim and there they were standing all around me watching me suffer, fighting against the chains. Watching me bleed and struggle to save myself.

_What's the matter trickster can't save yourself_

_To weak to fight for your own life_

_You were always the weakest _

_No one's going to save you this time_

"Loki"

I opened my eyes and I saw Banner next to me with worry in his eyes and it was a much more welcoming sight to see. He laid down beside me and as I rested against him he wrapped his arms around me comfortingly but I didn't want to go back to sleep, I didn't want to face them or all that pain.

"Try and sleep Loki they wont hurt you not as long as I'm here i swear no one's going to hurt again."

He was right, Bruce was always right and I knew that when I closed my eyes again I wouldn't face them because he was there to fight them off and when I did close my eyes I saw us, we seemed happy and it was these dreams that made me realize that it was possible, that this dream could become reality.


	2. Chapter 2

(Bruce)

The next morning I woke up just as the sun began to rise and notice Loki standing outside, I walked up to him and held onto his hand.

"you don't have to do this." I begged hoping he wouldn't go

"I must it is the only way to ease everyone's mind."

Sorrow and pain returned to his eyes, it was the same look that had dissapered for so long but now it was back. He smiled but it was pained but the kiss that followed was warm and compasionate but it did nothing to erase the pain in his eyes. I watched him disapeare, going back to that dreaded cell that he had spent years in and I remembered the feeling when I had stood there, the nuaseating smell of blood, the pain and cries of dying agony, I wanted to break down again but instead I pushed the thought to the back of my mind and headed to Tony's house.

"Good morning Doctor Banner." Jarvis called out

I paid Jarvis no attention as I headed down to the lab and towards my lab station where I had several vile of blood already set up to anyone they would think that it was just blood, they wouldn't think that the blood came from a scientist, a monster, and a frost giant. That's the thing though is that when it came down to the very blood running through our veins we were still the same as everyone else. Even down to the very molecular structure we were the same, the plasma, the blood, the marrow, our very structures were the same the only thing that was different was what we could do or turn into. But still Loki and I were just as human as Tony was but it was what we could do that made everyone forget that deep down we were still human and began to see us as nothing more then monsters.

"After everything that's happened thought you'd be sick of blood by now."  
"Very funny Tony but I still have work to do."

I watched Tony approach and take one of the viles and carefully examined them but just like me he couldn't see the difference and yet he knew who they samples were from. He set them back down and began on his own project at the station across from me.

"Are we really going to go through with this? Bringing them here who know's what's going to happen?" I questioned, I knew that Loki was right and that it would be best if the guards did come but I didn't want anything to happen to Loki he's suffered through enough already and I didn't want him to suffer any more.

"I don't know what's going to happen Bruce but think of what could happen. If we win this then maybe everyone will see what we see, they'll understand that he deserves a second chance to truly prove he's changed, no one should have to go through all that he did it's brutal." Tony stopped working on his suit "He can leave it all behind him if we win this. Listen I want to help the guy just as much as you do."  
"You know what'll happen if we don't win?"  
"Of course I do but I think we can count on Thor to try and save Loki from any more pain."

There was so much that could wrong with this case but at the same time there was a lot of good that could come from it as well if we did win. I just didn't want Loki to hurt anymore he's been through enough hell already and there was no way I was going to let anyone send him back but it's going to take everything we have to convince everyone in that room that Loki's changed and deserves a chance to prove it. I just don't know if what we have is going to be enough to convince that he's not the same god that killed so many people and almost destroyed New York, I don't know if they'll ever even see what me and Tony saw in Loki but we had to try. WE couldn't just sit here knowing that because of SHIELD Loki almost died three times in a span of two months there's nothing that can justify that, after all all he wanted was to escape for one night and yet that one night had given him more then he bargained for.

The days past by and I found it harder to sleep knowing that at that moment Loki was back in hell, back in that cell that had broken him, that very place that had driven him to come to Earth, the very place that had given him demons that haunted his every waking moment but it had also given me every reason to fight for him. It just felt empty not having to go to Loki to help him out of a nightmare or to wake and not see his emerald eyes shining in the sun, it felt so alone without his pressence and I didn't like it. But I knew that it was for the best to give the public ease of mind knowing that Thor did come back for Loki and that during this time he had indeed been locked up in prison but could we really save prove to everyone that what he went through was wrong? Could we really end all of his suffering?

As we sat in the courthouse waiting for Thor to bring in Loki I couldn't sit still, I was worried about what was going to happen.

"Bruce you need to calm down everything's going to be alright."

Then did I hear the loud beeping coming from the monitor on my wrist but I just threw the watch in my bag, how could I calm down knowing that today would decide Loki's fate.

"Stark is right Bruce you really should calm down."

I stood up quickly and turning around I saw Thor bring in Loki, he wore chains and he looked terrible and hie eyes seemed tired and exhausted as though he hadn't slept at all which he probable didn't.

"No tricks no brother I do not wish to.."  
"Oh save it Thor and take these damn things off." Loki said irritated and Thor unlocked the chains realesing Loki and went to take a seat with the rest of the Avengers in the jury stand. Loki came closer, smiled painfully, and threw his arms around me hugging me tightly.

"I missed you Bruce."

I held him close to me and kissed the top of his head.

"I missed you too Loki but I promise you'r going to be just fine they're not going to hurt you."  
"I appreciate the offer but now is not the time to be making promises you can not promise."

I lead him over to the table and as we sat I held tightly onto his hand as the judge entered and the case began.

(Loki)

At least I did not have to wear those dreaded chains throughout the case but that did very little to ease my nerves. Looking around everyone held anger and hatred in their eyes as they looked at me and some even whispered no doubt they were discussing how pointless this trial was and that they should have let me die. My eyes stopped on three guards, the very guards that had caused me years of torment but I forced myself to look away and instead I looked down at my hands as Bruce held onto mine. I couldn't bring myself to up at him, couldn't bring myself to look at any of them.

"You see your honor we all remember what this monster did to New York the last time he was here all we were trying to do was capture him before he did any more harm but it seems we could not save Stark or Banner from the fiends powers."  
"But he hadn't done anything wrong."  
"Enough Stark! Banner please recall the night you meet Loki."

Bruce stood but he kept his hand on mine as he told about the night I came looking to clear my mind and how he had offered me a place to stay for the night since it was getting terribly cold out. He explained how all we had done was simply chat and that he had told me that I could stay as long as I wanted to but I had no intentions of doing any harm to the city or the people.  
"Is this true?" the judge asked and all I could do was nod not trusting myself to speak in case old habits led me to lie which would do nothing but hurt me further.

"How do we know he's telling the truth though after all he is a master of lies." an agent said

"I think we can trust that he will not lie today seeing as how much is on the line, isn't that right?" again I nodded still not trusting myself to speak "Now Banner what did SHIELD do exactly the first time they tried to capture Loki?"

Again he explained that they had broken in when we were both asleep, that they had drugged him greatly. Then the judge had him explain what he saw when he went to rescue me this time I heard several gasps from the crowd but that meant very little. It went like this back and forth between SHIELD, Stark, and Bruce as they explained their own sides. But it was clear that no one cared and that this whole thing was just a waste of time.

"Judge we have some videos we wish to share with everyone I think everyone should see these." Bruce spoke up and as he brought out the suitcase with the videos only then did I look up. Why were they showing them now it was still pointless they would always see me as a pathetic monster who deserved to die. But never the less like everyone else I too watched the videos that they had gathered of what SHIELD had done to me and my body began to ache watching them beat me, being left alone, everything I had gone through while there. I clentched my fists and looked down, I didn't want to watch them anymore, didn't want to give them a reason to hurt me any more, I couldn't stand to hear my own scream, to watch me suffer as I did, I wanted to shout out to keep fighting that Bruce was coming but it was a video, a video of what had happened to me.

There were several gasps and some even shouted out in anger as they watched Coulson and Fury beat me while I had been to helpless to save myself, as they watched me go mad locked in that glass cell or as I laid there bleeding out from broken shards of glass, as Tony fast forward through the days that I had been left there, abandoned, alone to die with nothing but my thoughts and the glass around me and yet somehow Tony had manage to catch some of what I had said before I tried to kill myself and he turned up the volume for all to hear.

"I had become nothing more then an empty shell of the former god that I was, let them see what becomes of monsters like us, after our punishment has been decided and the torture begins, let them see that even after it's all over we're never truly free and sooner or later we die because we know it'll free everyone else from all the pain we have caused them and that even when they know that we're bleeding and dying that they just stand there, laughing and rejoicing that they're free of us, that there's one less monster for them to deal with, let them see the truth." that was what I was though I was a terrible monster. " That was what I wanted was for whoever the poor fool was to see what becomes of people like us, those who just wanted to be an equal, to be great, to show the world that we're stronger then they thought, but in the end we're nothing more then freaks who will never be free of the damage that we caused or the pain and fear we carved into the world, that no matter what the world will never mourn our deaths, that no one will ever come to rescue us from our demons and that there's no escape for us, not even in death will we be free."

The court room feel silent and as I looked around some people had tears in their eyes, some clentched their fists, and after a moment many people were shouting. Some thought that it was fake video, that there was no way that I had possibly changed at all, some even thought that Banner should have just let me die. But then there were a few who were angry at SHIELD for abandoning me to die like that even if I was a monster and what I did was wrong hadn't they just admitted that all they wanted was to capture me before I did any harm, how did abandoning me in a glass cell to die helping, even Thor admitted that he did not know that SHIELD had me locked up and would have come for me sooner had he been told. SHIELD's excus was that they didn't know how to reach Asgard even though several agents admitted that they were told that under no circumstance were they to call Thor or any of the Avengers.

"That's not all your honor we also have some photos we wish to project." Tony said

"Objection honor there's no proof that these videos are accurate they could be photoshopped for all we know."  
"They're not photoshopped your honor this was how they were when Tony sent them to me to view." admitted standing up "Mr. Stark sent me hundreds of uploads of videos to go through and these were the best ones that I could find for this case to prove the cruel treatment of Mr. Odinson while he was locked up."

It's Laufyeson I'm no son of that idiot Odin nor would I ever reclaim that name but that doesn't matter at the moment. I must admit that I was quit amazed by some of the reactions for I was positive that they would only see me as the monster that had tried so hard to destroy them all and yet some seemed to believe that I had changed for I could have used my powers as I now realize to fight back or to even escape and yet I didn't do any of that. No instead I suffered through it all, I let it happened when I had the power to stop it all.  
"Your honor this is a photo that I took when I first began to heal Loki's injuries." Banner began and only now did he leave my side. He pointed out several of the injuries and explained the best he could about the injuries he knew and that the others were strange markings that he didn't understand how I had accuried them and I couldn't bring myself to explain the strange markings. Another photo was shown this was after SHIELD had first captured me and Banner showed the injuries that I had gotten from that experience. It was like this for a while, he showed several photos of my injuries and I found it harder to continue sitting there, I wanted to leave, I couldn't stand to sit there any longer listening to Banner explain all my injuries, couldn't stand to look at the wonds that had healed but we weren't quit done yet.

"Is there anything else you wish to present Fury?" the judge asked but Fury only shook his head clearly defeated but we had one more card to play. "It is to my understanding that you have one last piece of evidence that you wish to share."  
"Yes your honor I would like to call to the stand the guards."

I looked up and in their eyes was torture, pure evil and I coward back in my chair but not once did they take their eyes off of me as they approached the stand.

"Loki has told us much about the punishments that you enacted but he failed to go further into depth about what you did to him in Jotunhiem do elaborate further."

What are you up to Stark? Why would you bring that up now after providing so much more evidence I think we're done with this and yet this was what he was going to do?  
"With pleasure Stark. There is a time when in Jotunhiem the frost giants go through the harsh weather that would kill any human within minuets due to such low temperatures and cruel weather."  
"We would chain him in the very chains he came in for those prevent the freak from using his powers and soon it came to our attention that that also meant he couldn't change into his origin form."  
"We would leave him there imobilized, alone, suffering. We knew that he would be fighting to change forms while there and it was a brillient sight to watch the proud prince break right in front of us."

They kept explaining those rash months and sudden;y my body ached and I wanted to scream but instead I bite my lower lip trying not to show them that I was still weak. I looked down as I felt something slid down my arm and I saw a trail of blood flow down as every wound I every had reopened on the skin and it hurt terribly.

"That wasn't the only punishment you took great joy in though was it?" Tony asked

"Oh no another one of our favorites was we would mix all the most deadliest poisons from all nine realms and we would throw it at him."  
"We knew that his magic and frost giant origin would save him but it was a beautiful sight to watch his skin burn from the poison that seeped through the surface."

Hunger for pain had taken over their eyes, it was the same hunger that I had seen for years, the same hunger that had been my very downfall as they ruthlessly destroyed me.

"Tell me Stark have you ever smelt burning flesh, it's the most glorious smell ever." they licked their lips as burn marks scortched my skin.

"Don't forget about the screams!"  
"Ah yes such music to our ears never have we heard such melody as his screams of torment."

No, no, I closed my yes trying to drown them out but the room turned into Jotunhiem and the chains began to bind me as I struggled to change forms so that I didn't freeze in the harsh cold but they began to gather around me. They lashed out at me with chains and whips, they cut open my already bleeding body that was scared enough from previous tortures but they wouldn't stop, they kept laughing as I struggled. But someone pushed through them and even though I couldn't see who was there due to the blinding light that didn't matter, for only when they wrapped their arms around me did I know who it was.

"Loki."

I opened my eyes to make sure that he was really there before I barried my head in his shoulders as tears streaked my face but that didn't matter, I didn't care if they saw how weak I had become I was never strong to begin with and now soon there would be nothing of me at all.

"I need to get him to a hospital quickly." Bruce said picking me up and running out of the courtroom not waiting to hear from the judge. I knew that he was using some of Hulks strength for no mortal could run so fast while carrying me unless they had the strength that Banner possesed. As he ran I began to feel dizzy and tired.

"Hey stay with me ok we're almost there."

I closed my eyes for a moment and when I opened them I was being pushed through door after door, there were several people around me but they were all blurry except for Banner and I kept my eyes on him. I winced when I felt someone inject something sharp into my shoulder.

"It's ok Loki it's just a sedative your going to be asleep for a bit but I'm not going to leave your side I promise no one's going to hurt you."  
It was a lie that much I've alway known, Banner couldn't protect me forever but the room was spinning and I was tired. As I closed my eyes I saw nothing but darkness and that was ok with me for I had gone through enough torment already and the darkness was comforting.


	3. Chapter 3

I don' t know how long I was out but when I opened my eyes I began to back up as far as I could for standing right in front of me were the true monsters, the very beasts that had lead to all of that and were the reason that I was here.

"It's ok Loki we're not going to hurt you."  
"I find that very hard to belive."

"It's ok they're telling the truth I promise."

I turned my head and Banner sat down next to me and wrapped his arm around me giving those three death glares. It was cute how Banner was trying to protect me and I began to calm down knowing that he was here.

"All we want to know is what happened?"

I knew that they already knew what had happened in the courtroom they just wanted someone to tell them that they were right. I didn't want to be the one to tell them that they were right and it was clear that Bruce wasn't going to tell them either. We both shared a similar gaze of hatred for the three standing in front of us and to know that Bruce felt the same hatred for them that I did meant a lot.

"It's not polite to ask questions you already know the answers to." Bruce said

"What makes you think we know what happened?"  
"To us it looked like he freaked out."

"Stop acting like idiots I know your smarter then this. There's no reason for you to stay so you can just leave."

I was irritated that they were still here and trying to sound innocent as though they have no idea what had gone wrong in the first place, they've done this for years it's nothing new. My head began to hurt and the room began to spin.

"All we wanted to know was what happened."  
"Is that to much to ask for?"  
"There's no reason for any of you to even try and sound upset by what's happened to Loki you three are the reason he's even in this mess to begin with!"  
As the room spun it tilted in every which way, my head pounded with the beating of my heart, and I felt sick.

"Your the reason he's fighting for his life!" Bruce yelled

"How do you know he deserves the fight?"  
"What makes you sure he deserves to even be here?"  
"Do you think he cares about you at all? Your just another one of those pitiful humans that he tried to destroy."  
It was getting worse and I couldn't even hear them anymore and with each spin of the room my vision was blurring and focusing which caused my head to hurt more.

"I care very much for Loki."  
"But does he care for you?"  
"He doesn't even have a heart."  
"We made sure to break that too."

"Bruce..."

I grabbed Banner's arm as I felt myself fall off the bed and as I laid there my body went numb and I couldn't stand, couldn't feel anything, couldn't see, couldn't hear, the room kept spinning faster and faster until everything went pitch black. My stomach hurt, my head was pounding, and my whole body hurt for some reason I couldn't move at all but I knew that there were no chains locking me in place or any reason to keep me from moving but I didn't care at that moment I knew I was alone as I had always been. Maybe if I wake now all of this will have just been a long dream and I'd wake up in my room, alone, miserable, I'll hear Thor walk outside the door or maybe see Lady Sif see if I was alright. I would wake to find out that none of this had ever happened and that I had just been sleeping for a very long time but now it was time to leave this fantasy behind and go back to reality.

But it was a cruel reality I knew that I'd be waking to and I don't know that if I wake now if I'd even be able to deal with life after all I feel so much better being asleep, dreaming dreams that will never happen and imagining that there was someone out there that still cared for me or wanted to protect me at least even if that person was Banner but I didn't care who it was that my mind had chosen to care about me for I had enjoyed all that it had created for me to see. But could all that had happened really just be a dream? Could I really have dreamt of all that Bruce and myself had been through these past months? I'm sure that it's quite impossible to assume that I had just been dreaming but at the same time I wish that I am just dreaming and that none of this insanity actually had happened.

Some feeling had returned and I felt something very soft and comforting beneath me and there was something about the atmosphere that seemed much calmer then the hospital room that I had been in moments before. As I opened my eyes afraid of what i would see I saw that I wasn't on Earth but I also wasn't in my room here in Asgard I was in the palace hospital wing. It had all been just a dream finally time had caught up and they had grown curious as to what had become of me. Did they scream at my lifeless form lying on the bed? Did they cry when I didn't respond? No it was all hopeless to believe that they would even care that much about me, they should have just let me die in my sleep at least then I would be free of all of this pain couldn't they see that was all that I wanted?

"Hey Loki."

I looked over at Sif as she approached a look of sadness in her eyes, no doubt my oaf of a brother was still neglecting her feelings towards him seeing as he's to caught up with that Jane girl. My head was still pounding and I felt sick but at least the room had stopped spinning.

"What happened?" I asked

Overdoes on sleep pills that's what you idiot do you really need to hear it from someone that you could have died?  
"You passed out and the doctors didn't know how to wake you up."

Doctors? "It wasn't a dream then was it? Everything that had happened on Earth."  
"No it all had happened and when Bruce brought you here he refused to leave."

"Is he still here?" I asked hopeful

"Would you like to see him?"  
"Yes Sif."

She smiled and gracefully walked away, there was something different about her but I didn't know what it was. Well first off she was being nice to me as though she was afraid that something bad was happening to me or that she was going to lose something very dear to her but that couldn't be it after all I didn't really matter that much to anyone but Bruce. Did she change during my time on Earth? Did she see that I had changed much over the years? It was good to know that an old friend was there for me especially now. Moments latter Sif returned with Banner who rushed by her and was at my side in the blink of an eye, there was fear in his eyes but they were glad to see that I was still alive.

"You're alive." he said in barely a whisper before falling to his knees and wrapping his arms tightly around me terrified that he had lost me for a moment.

"It's ok Bruce I'm alive." I said making room for him on the bed and he sat next to me but this time I had my arms around him as he leaned against me and it felt good being on this end, it felt good knowing that I was able to comfort him and that he had been terrified of losing me.

"I convinced All Father to let him stay." I looked up at Sif "I told him that if he didn't let Banner stay then I was going to leave the warriors."

"What?" This couldn't be the same Sif that I knew.  
"I didn't want to but I couldn't just send him back to Earth not after seeing the fear in his eyes or how worried he was."  
"Why have you been so kind to me now this isn't the SIf I know."

She smiled and shock her head as she came closer.

"I know what you've been through Loki and I know that it's changed you I don't want to see you locked up again nor do I want you to hurt anymore you've been through enough already."

She nelt by my side, I didn't know what to say to this gesture. I couldn't believe it for one that she was willing to give up her very job just so that Banner could stay did she truly care about me after all that's happened.

"Father still wants me locked up I persum?"

"Yes but he is willing to wait until your healed I've begged him to reconsider."  
"What proof does he have that I've truly changed at all though?"  
"While you were out the first time Tony had brought by the court file." I turned towards Bruce "We won the case and he also gave me the suitcase that had the videos and photos that we use."  
"The photos wont do much good neither will the videos but I read over the court case and if I was the All Father then I would have dropped all charges against you or at least sent you to Midgaurd to finish your sentence." Sif said

"Yes but your not Father and he's not easily persuaded. What news of Thor?" I looked back to Sif

"I have talked to Father many times brother to try and convince him to drop your sentence but I fear it may take time before father see's you've changed."

We looked towards the door and watched Thor enter and he stopped at the foot of the bed.

"He is still convinced that Loki had controled everyone into believing that he has changed and is spinning lies just to be free of a punishment he deserves."  
"You saw the photos Thor and heard the testimonies as well Thor you know that he's changed right?" Banner pleaded

"DO not fear friend Banner I know my brother has changed greatly but I also believe that what he went through is far beyond humane and am quit ashamed that father had taken such actions." Thor came over to stand next to Sif and smiled and while I usually hated him being there I was glad to see him by my side and to know that he to saw that this wasn't an act of any sort but he was right it would take more then just some paperwork and photos to change Odin's mind and I fear that it might be far to impossible to even attempt to try but we had. The most we could do that I would be ok with is just convincing him to allow me to serve the rest of my "punishment" on Earth with Banner, I'd even give up my powers and leave Asgard forever to live on Earth as a mortal if that meant that I could return with Banner, as long as I could be with him was all that I wanted.

I tried to sit up a bit straighter but my head began to pound harder and the room tilted again.

"Hey take it easy Loki lie back down." Sif said and I laid back down

"What happened?" I asked looking at Banner

"I don't know. You grabbed my arm, fell off the bed, and then you blacked out. But there was nothing anyone could do to wake you up it was almost like you were dead but still alive at the same time."

"When Banner told us what happened you were very pale brother and we thought that you were going to die. You've been knocked out for quit some time." Thor looked down at his hand not meeting my eyes.

The room fell silent and there was unwanted tension building up between the four of us, they all looked down as though they were hiding something and that did very little to calm me down.

"What's wrong?" no one said anything and I was getting worried "Thor what's happening?"

Sif switched places with him and he took hold of my hand which caught me by surprise.

"I'm sorry brother it is nothing to worry about I promise try and get some rest please."

He dropped my hand and with left with Sif by his side.

"Bruce what's wrong something's not right and I don't like it."

"Like Thor said try and get some rest I promise everything will be ok we'll be ok." there was fear in his eyes and worry in his voice and the way he held me tight was frightening.

"Bruce."

His eyes had begun to sparkle with sadness but he kissed me before leaving, the way he walked out I knew that he didn't want to leave and that it took everything he had to keep walking. I was getting worried about what they were keeping quit about, whatever it was it wasn't good for never have I seen Bruce so terrified or Thor so worried about me before something wasn't right but never the less I closed my eyes once more and tried to get some rest hoping that Thor was right and that it was nothing to get worried about.


	4. Chapter 4

I was in the hospital wing for some time something had happened when I blacked out after court and everyone seemed on edge and refused to say any word of what was happening with me which scared me. I didn't like it when people were keeping secretes like this from me, I wanted to know what was wrong with me, wanted to know what was scaring Banner so bad that sometimes he would even cry at night. I never told him that he cried it wasn't my place but it hurt to see him so scared as he would snuggle closer to me and hold my hand tightly as he slept on through the night but I couldn't ignore the sounds of crying in the dead of night as he kept sleeping and it hurt to see him like that. I didn't want him to be so hurt but I didn't know what was wrong so there wasn't much I could do and besides what was i going to say when Odin decides to come see me, I know it's only a matter of time before he comes for me, before he tries to lock me back up, before the cycle repeats itself.

I held Banner tightly in my arms as he slept on through the night, I didn't want to sleep and as I stared into the ceiling I tried to think of what could possibly be bothering Bruce so much but everything that i came up with didn't make sense and so I was left to ponder over what was wrong with me that was until the the cries began again and I felt Bruce hold onto my hand tighter and I held him closer to me hoping that if he knew that I was still there, that I was still alive he would calm down but it seemed like this time he wasn't going to calm down.

"Bruce wake up please wake up." I begged but he didn't respond "Bruce please I'm here, still alive, please it's just a bad dream."

"Loki?"

He opened his eyes and starred at me as tears continue to fall down his face and I wiped them away. I held him closer and he rested his head against my chest.

"I'm sorry Loki I'm so sorry."  
"Why are you sorry?"  
"I'm sorry that you have to see me like this I'm just scared." he closed his eyes again and rested closer to me. "I dreamt that you were dying in my arms but I couldn't find anything wrong and you kept telling me to let go, that you wanted to die, wanted to leave me." he began to cry again "I didn't want to leave you Loki I don't want you to die."

"Bruce I'm not dying and I'm not going to leave you ever."  
"I wouldn't be making promises I can't keep Loki."

Bruce didn't move and as I looked up I saw Odin walk in but there was something different about him, he didn't walk with as much confidence and maybe there was fear in his eyes as well but it was hard to tell in the low lighting. As he came closer I could tell that there was definetly something wrong, he sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at me with sadness in his eyes.

"What do you mean?" I asked

"What do you want? I'm not letting you take Loki away." Bruce said protectivly

"Relax Doctor Banner I have no intention of hurting Loki." he turned to look back at me "Thor has told me of what happened as well as the photos of your injuries and I am sorry. I did not..."

"Don't lie to me of course you knew what they did to me I heard you tell them to do whatever they wanted with me." how dare he try to say he didn't know what I went through. He looked down defeated but I knew it was all an act. "If you've come to apologize then you can just leave and save your breath for I can't forgive you for what you did to me. I could never forgive you nor do I want to."

"I do not blame you for hating me but what's more important knowing what is wrong or hating me for my actions?"  
"What have you done to me?" I asked almost scared of what has happened

"I have done nothing but to put it lightly you will die, soon." he stood to leave

"I'm going to die? For what reason? What's causing this?"  
"That's what bothers everyone is that your perfectly fine there's nothing wrong and yet your dying, I don't want to lose you Loki." Bruce spoke up and held onto me tighter. All I could do was stare blankly in front of me at the news, I was fine and yet I was dying. I was going to die of nothing and for what reason no one knew why all they knew was that I was going to die and there wasn't anything that could save me.

"I am sorry my boy but there seems to be nothing any of us can do to save you from this." he got up and walked out without saying another word.

I couldn't wrap my head around what I had just been told it couldn't be possible there was just no possible way that for no reason I was dying it seemed as though fate was going to be cruel to me after all but at the same time it was being kind. It was tearing me away from everything that I had every wanted that now I had but at the same time in death I wouldn't feel any more pain or be tortured but was that truly worth giving up everything that I had now just found? Was it worth giving up my own happiness knowing that by choosing death I would end up hurting Banner even more then he is now?

I didn't want to hurt Bruce and I didn't want to die either I wanted to live, I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Bruce even if that meant giving up my long life and my powers to become mortal I would do whatever it took to stay with Banner but could I still outsmart death? He's a cunning fellow and follows people closely I know that it wont be easy to fool him but then again I've done it for years maybe I could pull it off a little longer just long enough to find out why I'm dying and hopefully cure me so that I wont die any time soon and I can continue on being with Banner.

It seemed silly to be staying here if there was nothing that the doctors could do to save me and so me and Banner went to stay in my room which was exactly as i had left it. Tons of papers neatly stacked on my desk, the book that I had been reading before I left for Earth all those months ago, besides that my room seemed very empty which didn't matter to me I could care less just as long as it was still in order and not a wreck as Thor's room always was. I looked down at the open page in the book and read over the spells listed on the page they were ice spells used for healing, my eyes stopped on one spell and as I read over it I remembered that it was that spell that I had used to freeze my heart so that it could no longer feel or hurt, so that I could have at least one thing still in contact and not broken at all.

If only my books could tell me what I was dying of and how I could heal myself though I doubt there's a spell that could stop me from dying of whatever I was dying of. I pulled back the covers of the bed and as I laid down Banner rested his head on my chest and I held him close as we laid on the soft silk staring into the darkness not wanting to fall asleep. I didn't want to sleep incase I never woke up and Banner didn't want to sleep afraid that if he did then he would lose me. We were afraid of losing each other to whatever this illness was that I had.

"What's going to happen to us?" he asked

"I don't know Bruce. But I'm alive for now and that is all that matters hopefully we have enough time to find out what is killing me."

"I don't want to lose you Loki I tried to so hard to keep you safe, I fought to many battles to save you I can't lose you now."

His eyes began to sparkle with tears and I held him closer to me trying hard to fight back the tears that wanted to fall from my own eyes at the thought of losing Banner forever or to see him lose me after all he's gone through just to protect me. I kissed his head and held him tightly.

"I don't want to lose you either Bruce you have given me everything that I have ever wanted from this long life. I love you to much to lose you to lose this thing we have."

I turned to look at him and I wiped away a tear that had escaped his eye.

"I have never been more happier in my long life then I am when I'm beside you Bruce and I wish to always stay by your side."  
"Loki.."

His eyes filled with sadness and hurt and his voice held fear in it, he was scared of what was to happen for neither of us knew what would come in the future after all I could have only weeks left to live. I kissed him hoping to calm him down and to let him understand that for now I was alive and while I was still alive I would never leave his side as we tried to figure out what was killing me. I loved Bruce more then anything in the world, I din't want to lose him and he didn't want to lose me. As we kissed there was nothing but passion as we sought comfort in each other, as we needed to be with each other for as long as I still had left to live and I would spend every second with Banner and why because he deserved every second I had of my entire life for there was no one else in the nine realms that deserved me time not as much as Banner deserved it.

We pulled away for a moment catching our breaths and leaning in close to him I held the side of his head in my hand, smiling.

"I love you Bruce and I will always love you for as long as I live and far beyond the realm of death I shall still love you."

"I love you too Loki I just wish we had longer."  
"Perhaps we do have longer then we think but for now I wish to give you all of my time."

This time he leaned in and I deepened the kiss and this time there was more comfort as though all fear had left us and we only had room for this connection we shared, this care, this love between us but I noticed that as we kissed my heart ached with pain.

**A/N Hey everyone hope your enjoying the sequel so far please review what you think of the story so far and I would love suggestions for the story as well, I'm having some trouble writing so if you have any ideas of what you think should happen ****to**** what you would like to happen in the story please let me now I would love to hear what you have to say so please review thanks.**


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